Here’s how Scotland can cut its prison population – Karyn McCluskey

0 Have your say Scotland’s prison population is at the highest level for a decade, so do you think we should build more prisons or try something different, something based on actual evidence, asks Karyn McCluskey. I’ve been engaging with lots of great students and teachers in Scotland who are studying modern studies. There were a few students tweeting about essays they had to do around what we should do about the high prison population, overcrowding and high reoffending rate. If only we could give the answer in 280 characters. So here are some facts about prison in Scotland: we are at the highest prison population for 10 years; there is a huge evidence base about what works to reduce offending. Some people really need to be in prison, some of them for a really long time but a significant number could serve sentences in community, receive much-needed treatment, gains skills and have a better chance at living a safe and productive life. I’ve been working in this area for such a long time and I know what I would change if I could, but what about you? What is it that you want Scotland to do about our sky-rocketing prison population? Do you want to build another prison? The new HMP Berwyn in England is costing £250 million to build. There are around 2,000 places in this new prison. It costs £40,000 per place every year – that’s £80m a year to run a prison for 2,000 people. £80m… [Read full story]